Squantum NAS – August 3, 1944

April 25, 2019

Squantum NAS – August 3, 1944

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

On August 3, 1944, a U. S. Navy SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft, (Bu. No. 54546), made a normal landing at the Squantum Naval Air Station. Just after touchdown, while the aircraft was still rolling at high speed, the landing gear suddenly collapsed dropping the plane onto the runway where it skidded on its belly to a stop. The two-man crew was not injured, but the aircraft required a major overhaul.